JAZAN — Patrols of the General Administration of Mujahideen in the Jazan region arrested a citizen for transporting 13 Ethiopian nationals, who violated the Border Security Law. The transporter was transferred to the Public Prosecution while the violators were handed to the competent security authorities after completing the legal procedures.The General Administration of Mujahideen's spokesperson warned that facilitating the entry of border security violators into Saudi Arabia, transporting o...

RIYADH — Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman received a written message from Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Andy Burnham. The message was concerned with bilateral relations and ways to further strengthen them. British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Stephen Charles Hitchen handed the message to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Al-Khereiji during their meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Riyadh on Mond...

PARIS — Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and French President Emmanuel Macron held bilateral talks at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Monday before chairing the inaugural meeting of the Saudi-French Strategic Partnership Council.Macron welcomed the Crown Prince upon his arrival at the Élysée Palace, while French ministers and senior officials were also present to receive him.During their bilateral meeting, the Crown Prince and Macron reviewed the historic and strategic relati...

RIYADH — Saudi Attorney General and Chairman of the Public Prosecution Council Dr. Khalid Al-Yousef received Ambassador of Georgia to Saudi Arabia Nikoloz Revazishvili in Riyadh on Monday. During the meeting, they discussed several issues of mutual interest. They reviewed existing areas of cooperation and ways to further enhance them in fields related to prosecutorial work. The meeting also addressed the outcomes of the recent visit by the Georgian prosecution delegation to Saudi Arabia and i...

PARIS — Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman arrived at Les Invalides in Paris on Monday, marking the formal start of his state visit to France.The Crown Prince was accorded an official reception upon the arrival of his motorcade at the historic complex, where he was welcomed by French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu.**media[2755259]**A contingent of mounted French Republican Guards and ceremonial motorcycles escorted the Crown Prince as part of the welcoming ceremonies.The Sa...

RIYADH — The Ministry of Interior warned that expatriates engaged in self-employment shall face penalties such as fines of up to SR50,000, imprisonment for up to six months, and deportation. The ministry urged expatriates to comply with residency, labor, and border security regulations. It urged to report violations by calling 911 in the regions of Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province, and 999 in the rest of the regions of the Kingdom.

RIYADH — More than 26.34 million passengers used public buses across Saudi Arabia’s cities and governorates during the second quarter of 2026, an increase of 23.2 percent compared with the same period last year, according to the Transport General Authority (TGA). The TGA said the 23.2 percent growth reflects increasing demand for bus transportation within cities, supported by technical equipment that meets the highest operational standards. According to the TGA’s quarterly bulletin, Riyadh re...

JEDDAH — The Saudi Permanent Representative to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) received his Iranian counterpart in Jeddah, where the two sides reviewed issues of mutual interest. During the meeting, Saudi Permanent Representative Dr. Saleh bin Hamad Al-Suhaibani and Iranian Permanent Representative Ambassador Mohammad Hassan Sheikholeslami also discussed matters related to the OIC and its various organs. The two sides reaffirmed the OIC’s leading role in addressing contemporary ...

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Embassy in Syria announced the opening of a Tasheer center for visa services in the Syrian capital Damascus to receive all visa applications. The services also include those related to cargo and passenger transportation.The embassy stated that the move comes as part of the joint efforts of the governments of Saudi Arabia and Syria to strengthen economic ties between the two countries. It also reflects Saudi Arabia's ongoing efforts to support the recovery of the Syrian...

RIYADH — The total number of investment opportunities reported during the first half of this year reached approximately 1,730, spanning 15 sectors, according to a recent report published by the Ministry of Investment. The ministry’s Economic and Investment Monitor report indicated that the chemicals sector ranked first with 511 investment opportunities, followed by environmental services with 259 opportunities and the tourism and quality of life sector with 227 opportunities. The manufacturi...

RIYADH — Penalties for failing to take the necessary measures to contain leaks in the marine and coastal environment can reach up to SR5 million. This is part of the revised punitive measures in the updated executive regulations for the sustainable management of the marine and coastal environment, approved by Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadley. The updated regulations introducing a range of controls, prohibitions, and procedures aimed at protecting marin...

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia ranked first globally in the International Telecommunication Union’s ICT Development Index (IDI), one of the key national achievements highlighted in the fifth edition of the 2026 Sustainability Report in the Communications, Space and Technology Sector. Issued by the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST), in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the report was releas...

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Construction Cost Index (CCI) increased 2.3 percent year-on-year in July 2026, mainly due to higher construction costs in both the residential and non-residential sectors, according to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). Construction costs in the non-residential sector rose 2.6 percent compared with July 2025, while costs in the residential sector increased 2.2 percent. **media[2754568]** In the residential sector, the annual increase was driven by a 4.2 per...

JEDDAH — Red alerts for heavy rain have been issued for parts of Saudi Arabia on Sunday, as thunderstorms, hail, and flash floods are forecast across several regions, according to the National Center for Meteorology (NCM). The NCM's forecasts indicate rainfall of 10–50 mm per hour or more, over affected areas in the southwest. Orange alerts indicate moderate rain of 5–9 mm per hour, while yellow alerts indicate light rain of 1–4 mm per hour. In its daily forecast, the NCM said moderate to hea...

RIYADH — Saudi security authorities arrested a total of 14,260 illegal residents in a week. The arrests were made in the joint inspections, carried out by the security forces in collaboration with the relevant government agencies, during the period between August 13 and 19, the Ministry of Interior revealed on Saturday. Those who were arrested include 6,900 violators of the Residency Law, 3,982 violators of the Border Security Law, and 3,378 violators of the Labor Law. A total of 13,724 illeg...

RIYADH — Land, sea, and air Customs ports across Saudi Arabia recorded 1,039 seizures of contraband last week. The seized items included 190 types of narcotics such as hashish, cocaine, heroin, crystal meth, and Captagon pills, in addition to 375 other prohibited materials. Customs ports also foiled attempts to smuggle 1,951 units of tobacco and its derivatives, along with 79 types of cash and 6 types of weapons and related equipment. The seizures were part of the ongoing efforts of the Zakat...

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the bombing near an educational center in the Afghan capital Kabul that left dozens of people injured.In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated the Kingdom’s complete rejection of all forms of violence, extremism and terrorism.The ministry expressed Saudi Arabia’s solidarity with Afghanistan and its people following the attack.The Kingdom also wished the injured a speedy recovery and expressed hope that the Afghan people would enjoy se...

RIYADH — Saudi Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman and Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan met with Iraqi Minister of Finance Faleh Sari Abdashi and Minister of Oil Bassem Mohammed Khudair in Riyadh on Friday.During the meeting, the ministers discussed issues of mutual interest between Saudi Arabia and Iraq and explored opportunities to strengthen cooperation across various fields in a manner that serves the shared interests of both countries.The ...

RIYADH — The National Center for Meteorology (NCM) warned that the Riyadh region will be affected by dust, strong winds, and near-zero horizontal visibility on Friday.The weather conditions are expected to last from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and affect Riyadh and surrounding governorates.

MAKKAH — The 46th King Abdulaziz International Competition for Memorization, Recitation, and Interpretation of the Holy Qur’an concluded in Makkah on Wednesday. The competition, held under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, was organized by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance. Princess Fahda bint Falah Al-Hathleen, spouse of King Salman, honored the female winners of the competition while Deputy Emir of Makkah Prince Saud bin Mishaal honored the mal...

PARIS — Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim, on behalf of Minister of Health Fahad AlJalajel, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the French Ministry of Health, Families, Autonomy and Persons with Disabilities on Monday. The signing ceremony was held on the sidelines of the visit of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman to the French Republic.The MoU aims to enhance health cooperation between Saudi Arabia and France in several priority areas, most...

PARIS — Saudi Arabia and France called for a negotiated solution on Iran to prevent further escalation and safeguard regional security, while condemning attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and calling for the restoration of normal navigation through the strategic waterway.The two countries agreed to deepen their strategic partnership across defense, investment, energy, artificial intelligence and regional security, while welcoming the announcement of 21 agreements and memoranda of unde...

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron announced a €6 billion Saudi-backed investment to develop three theme parks in Cergy-Pontoise, northwest of Paris, describing the project as unprecedented and the biggest development of its kind in France since Disneyland Paris.Macron on Monday said the project, backed by Saudi Arabia's Qiddiya, is expected to create 22,000 jobs and establish a new global entertainment destination in France. “An extraordinary announcement,” Macron said in a post on X. ...

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has announced the nomination of Dr. Hanan Hassan Balkhy for the position of Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the 2027–2032 term. Dr. Balkhy has extensive scientific and leadership experience in public health, infectious diseases, infection prevention and control, health security, health systems and international health. She has substantial leadership experience within the WHO at all three levels—country, regional and global. Most notably she ha...

PARIS — French foreign direct investment stock in Saudi Arabia reached SR63.9 billion (€16.3 billion) in 2024, more than doubling from its 2021 level and making France the Kingdom’s fourth-largest source of FDI, Investment Minister Fahad Al-Saif said on Monday.Al-Saif made the remarks during the Saudi-French Investment Roundtable in Paris, held as part of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman’s state visit to France.The Ministry of Investment-organized meeting brought together s...

RIYADH — The Ministry of Commerce emphasized the importance of complying with the regulations and provisions of the Commercial Franchise Law and its executive regulations when granting or exercising a franchise. The ministry warned against six major violations that a franchisor or franchisee may commit while conducting franchise activities.These violations include failing to register the franchise agreement and disclosure document with the ministry within 90 days of the agreement’s signing; f...

JEDDAH — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent separate cables of congratulations to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the anniversary of his country’s Independence Day. In his cable, King Salman expressed his sincere congratulations and best wishes for Zelenskyy’s continued health and happiness, and for the government and people of Ukraine to achieve continued progress and prosperity. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also expressed h...

JAZAN/ASIR — Border Guard land patrols arrested five Ethiopian nationals in Asir and Jazan and thwarted the smuggling of a total of 301 kilograms of drugs and 40,100 tablets in separate operations. In Asir, Border Guard land patrols in the Al-Raboua Sector arrested one Ethiopian national, a violator of the Border Security Law, for smuggling 96 kilograms of khat. **media[2754965]** In Jazan, Border Guard land patrols in the Al-Dayer Sector arrested four Ethiopian nationals for smuggling 160 ki...

PARIS — Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, joined by French President Emmanuel Macron, attended the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris on Sunday.The Crown Prince also witnessed Macron crown All Gamers Global (AG.AL) as the 2026 Esports World Cup Club Champion.AG.AL topped the overall standings with 5,300 points, securing the $7 million grand prize from a total prize pool exceeding $75 million, the largest in esports history.**media[2754888]**The Saudi Pr...

RIYADH — The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources has issued a total of 50,030 certificates of origin during the last month of July. This was part of the ministry’s efforts to support and facilitate the service for exporters in various sectors, including industrial, commercial, and individual businesses. In a statement, the ministry stated that a certificate of origin is a document confirming that products exported abroad are of national origin or have acquired national origin status. T...

RIYADH — The Administrative Court of Appeal under the Board of Grievances in the Makkah region overturned a university’s decision to suspend two semesters of a student.The court affirmed that disciplinary decisions against university students are subject to judicial review to verify the validity of their grounds and the substantiation of the alleged violations.The case arose from a lawsuit filed by a student challenging his university's decision to suspend him for two semesters. The suspensio...

RIYADH — The rising of the star Suhail on the southern horizon at dawn Monday, Aug. 24, heralds the signs of the end of summer season in the Arabian Peninsula. The Suhail star is the most-anticipated star in the Arab world as it finally signals the end of summer and the gradual beginning of cooler days in the desert regions. Residents of the Arabian Peninsula are awaiting the appearance of the Suhail star in one of the most well-known celestial signs associated with seasonal change in the reg...

RIYADH — More than 15.2 million people performed Umrah during Q1 2026, with internal performers accounting for around 9.5 million of the total, according to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). The total number of Umrah performers reached 15,233,767, with males accounting for approximately 59.4 percent and females 40.6 percent. Saudi Umrah performers represented 28.9 percent of the overall total. The number of external Umrah performers reached 5,769,271, including 2,777,904 males an...

RIYADH — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of the terrorist attack that targeted a Syrian Internal Security Forces bus in the Damascus countryside, resulting in several injuries. In a statement issued on Saturday, the Kingdom denounced the attack and expressed its full solidarity and support for all measures taken by the Syrian government to combat all forms of extremism and terrorism. Saudi Arabia also wished security and peace for Syria and its people, an...

RIYADH — More than four and a half million male and female students in public schools across Saudi Arabia will return to their classrooms for the start of the new academic year on Sunday, Aug. 23. Teachers of schools under the educational departments of Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, and Taif will return to their duties on Sunday. However, students in these schools will resume their studies a week later on Aug. 30. The Ministry of Education has instructed all schools to ensure a serious start from ...

RIYADH — The Saudi General Directorate of Passports has announced the services available through electronic authorization and provided a list of services that can be accessed through its account on the Absher platform. The service enables Absher users to electronically authorize another person to complete a service on their behalf. Users can also view and cancel issued authorizations through Absher Individuals services. The electronic authorization services include issuing and canceling trave...

RIYADH — Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan received a phone call from Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.During the call, the two ministers reviewed bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and Türkiye and discussed the latest regional developments.They also discussed joint efforts to strengthen security and stability across the region.

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia and seven other countries have strongly condemned Israel’s continued settlement policies in the occupied Palestinian territory and called for immediate international action to halt the E1 settlement plan east of occupied East Jerusalem.In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Qatar and Egypt expressed their categorical rejection of the E1 plan and related settlement activities.The ministe...

RIYADH — The General Authority of Foreign Trade (GAFT) has announced the launch of an anti-dumping investigation into Saudi Arabia’s imports of multi-layer coated cardboard with a grey back and a white or other-colored face, weighing 180–500 grams per square meter and originating in or exported from India and China.The decision to launch the investigation was issued in accordance with the Law of Trade Remedies in International Trade, dated November 23, 2022. The law aims to protect domestic i...

RIYADH — The Insurance Authority has directed health insurance providers in Saudi Arabia to offer a health insurance product without pre-medical approval requests for outpatient services. This is part of the authority’s efforts to address a key challenge faced by health insurance beneficiaries in recent years. The product will be an additional option among the health insurance products currently available, giving employers and policyholders more flexibility to choose the solution that best me...

PARIS — Saudi Arabia and France have extended their strategic partnership for the development of AlUla until 2035.The extension was formalized through an agreement amending and extending the existing intergovernmental accord on the cultural, environmental, tourism, human, economic and heritage development of AlUla.The agreement was signed by Culture Minister and Royal Commission for AlUla Governor Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan and French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël...

RIYADH — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman received a written message from President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates. The message was pertaining to further enhancing bilateral relations between the two countries.Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Al-Khereiji received the message from UAE Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Matar Salem Al-Dhaheri during their meeting in Riyadh on Monday.They reviewed bilateral relations and ways to develop them across v...

PARIS — Aramco announced agreements and a memorandum of understanding with French companies with a potential combined value of more than $3.7 billion.The agreements and MoU were announced during the Saudi-French Investment Roundtable in Paris, attended by Aramco President and CEO Amin Nasser.Aramco said the collaborations are expected to strengthen its supply chain ecosystem, enhance operational continuity and efficiency, advance industrial artificial intelligence and digital technologies, an...

MADINAH — The commercial sector accounts for approximately 80 percent of the total development projects currently being implemented in the Madinah region since 2025, with 206 of the 280 projects distributed across 12 development sectors. This reflects the region’s growing economic and investment activity and reinforces its position as a vital commercial center. According to a report issued by the Madinah Chamber of Commerce, a total of 280 development projects are currently being implemented,...

RIYADH — Officials of the General Directorate of Passports at the King Fahd Causeway apprehended a Pakistani resident for transporting two Pakistani violators of the border security regulations in a vehicle crossing the causeway to the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.The spokesperson of the directorate said that the Pakistanis were referred to the Public Prosecution after completing the necessary legal procedures against them.He emphasized that anyone who facilitates the entry of violators o...

JEDDAH — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman congratulated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on his taking the constitutional oath as the newly elected president of Bangladesh. In separate cables of congratulations, the King and the Crown Prince wished success for President Alamgir and continued progress and prosperity of the people of Bangladesh. Veteran Bangladeshi politician and BNP leader Mirza Alamgir has been sworn in as the 23...

RIYADH — More than 84,000 Toyota Camry vehicles have been recalled by the Ministry of Commerce due to a defect that may prevent vital information from being displayed and disable warning lights and audible alerts. The defect in the instrument panel system may disable turn signals, warning lights and audible alerts related to the ignition switch and seat belts, increasing the risk of an accident. The recall affects 84,639 Toyota Camry vehicles from the 2025–2026 model years. The Ministry urged...

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday that the visit of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman to France marks an “important step” in relations between the two countries, stressing their shared commitment to promoting peace and stability amid regional challenges.In a post on X, Macron said France and Saudi Arabia have consistently worked together to advance peace and stability and would continue their consultations toward that goal.“Faced with the challenges in the...

RIYADH — Deputy Emir of Makkah Prince Saud bin Mishaal distributed land titles to several citizens as part of the Jeddah Mayoralty's efforts to resolve land disputes in the Al-Malisaa township. Several princes and officials attended the ceremony.As part of the initiative, the Jeddah Mayoralty compensated 1,480 citizens with alternative plots in the Tayba development township, located northeast of Jeddah. The distribution was carried out under the patronage of Emir of Makkah Prince Khaled Al-F...

RIYADH — Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif will patronize the Security and History Dialogue Conference, to be organized by the Ministry of Interior, in Riyadh from September 6 to 8, 2026. Several experts, researchers, and academics from within Saudi Arabia and abroad will attend the conference. The organizing committee of the conference said that the three-day event serves as a national platform for exploring the Kingdom’s history through the lens of security and develop...

RIYADH — Paris will host the Saudi-French Investment Roundtable on Monday, attended by senior government officials and business leaders from both countries, as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to France. Organized by the Ministry of Investment and the meeting will feature strategic discussions among CEOs of major companies, business leaders on industrial partnerships, transportation and logistics, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and other sectors. A number of a...

RIYADH — The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) identified 17 pharmaceutical establishments in violation of regulations related to medicine availability and reporting, imposing fines totaling SR1.575 million. The violations were recorded during May, June and July 2026. According to the SFDA’s establishment compliance report, eight establishments failed to comply with requirements for directly reporting drug movements through the electronic Pharmaceutical Products Tracking System, “RSD.” The...

RIYADH — Saudi Border Guard seized more than 2.6 million tablets subject to medical circulation regulations, over 900,000 amphetamine tablets, 138 tons of khat and 2.8 tons of hashish in operations across several regions. The seizures — which included 2,695,731 tablets subject to medical circulation regulations, 942,485 amphetamine tablets, 138 tons of khat and 2.8 tons of hashish — occurred across Tabuk, Jazan, Asir and Najran. Border Guard patrols in the four regions foiled attempts to smug...

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has approved executive procedures regulating how long privately owned vehicles registered in other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries may remain in the Kingdom, setting a standard limit of 90 days within a 365-day period.Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) Governor Suhail Abanmi approved the procedures in coordination with the Ministry of Interior. The new rules will take effect on Aug. 26, 2026.Vehicles already inside Saudi Arabia before the regulations take ...

RIYADH — Two expatriate women were arrested for engaging in prostitution in Madinah. The arrests were made in a security campaign, carried out by Madinah police, in coordination with the General Directorate for Community Security and Combating Human Trafficking. Security authorities stated that the women were referred to the Public Prosecution after taking the necessary legal procedures.

VIENNA — The Permanent Mission of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations and other international organizations in Vienna hailed Syria's cooperation and transparency with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This is in terms of facilitating the agency's access to the sites concerned and enabling it to carry out inspection and verification activities in accordance with the steps agreed upon by the two sides. The Saudi mission welcomed the joint statement issued on August 18, 2026, by the ...

RIYADH — The Ministry of Commerce conducted 2,259 inspection visits to bookstores and stationery shops across the Kingdom as preparations intensify for the start of the new academic year.The inspections aimed to verify the availability of school supplies and a variety of alternative products, as well as monitor price stability.Inspectors also checked that products carried price tags or electronic pricing information and monitored commercial discounts to ensure compliance with regulations.The ...

JEDDAH/PARIS — Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman departed for France on Friday on a state visit at the directive of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and in response to an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron.The Royal Court said in a statement that the Crown Prince left the Kingdom on Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, heading to France.The Élysée Palace earlier announced that Macron will receive the Crown Prince on Sunday and Monday, Aug. 23-24, for a state vis...

DIRIYAH — Diriyah Company has announced the completion of the relocation of the Ministry of Culture to its new headquarters in Diriyah’s Northern District, developed as part of the company’s integrated urban master plan. The move underscores the growing presence of national cultural institutions within Diriyah, reinforcing its role as a fully integrated destination for culture, governance, and contemporary living. The relocation follows the memorandum of understanding signed between the Minis...

RIYADH —The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has granted marketing authorization for an innovative medical device utilizing next-generation biosensor technology. The device enables continuous, real-time, and accurate monitoring of blood glucose and ketone levels around the clock, supporting improved diabetes management and accelerating clinical response times for critical cases. Regulatory approval was facilitated through the SFDA’s Innovative Medical Devices pathway, designed to accelera...